The CDC Reports That 15% of Women Struggle With Pregnancy-Related Depression

FRIDAY, Sept. 28 (HealthDay News) -- One in seven women suffers from depression before, during or after pregnancy, a new study finds.

The consequences of depression can be devastating to the mother, her baby and her entire family, according to the report in the October issue of The American Journal of Psychiatry.

"The prevalence of women diagnosed with depression before, during and after pregnancy was pretty similar," said lead author Patricia Dietz, an epidemiologist at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of Reproductive Health.

"There are a lot of women who are becoming pregnant with depression, and that's really important for people providing prenatal care to be aware of," she said.

Tango’s TakeThis can’t be terribly surprising. After all we’ve heard from Brooke Shields on post-partum depression; it’s not much of a stretch that some portion of women would be depressed during their pregnancy. Or before their pregnancy, getting knocked up can be mad stressful. With all of those crazy chemicals coursing through your veins, it’s understandable that a woman might feel one way or another at some point. We’re actually surprised that the number isn’t a little higher. The CDC is reporting that 15% of women get depressed during, before or after pregnancy. And legend has it that 10% of American women have been on or are on anti-depressants. If the logic follows, then women have a 50% greater chance of experiencing depression before, during or after pregnancy. Then again, these are just rough averages. They’re probably only applicable on a theoretical, macro basis.